Hyper Score Marvel: The Venom Symbiote

Welcome to Hyper Score Marvel where every week I use Hypercorps 2099 to put together an iconic hero or villain from the world’s most popular superhero universe! Unlike Street Fighter D&D, this series is for both the Pathfinder players out there and D&D 5E groups as well.

Somebody requested a character I’ve already spent some time thinking quite a lot about bringing into Hypercorps 2099–Venom. So today we’ve got a *special* treat for Pathfinder players, a preview of one of the coolest parts of FAMOTH (Failures and Merits of the Hypernet, A Treatise by Haxx0r Brinekeys PhD). Mind you there are quite a few different types of nanosymbiote suits in the book, but what follows is wrought from one of my favorites of the bunch. 😀

Next on deck was a request for Ghost Rider but Clinton Boomer has already done a solid job with a build for the vengeful one and many others were put into the queue: Thor, Vision, Thanos (this will probably be the Infinity Gauntlet instead with some suggestions on what to use for Thanos), The Hulk, Rocket Raccoon, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Doctor Doom, and Cyclops. My work is really cut out for me for a while but if you’ve got someone you want to see, let me know and we’ll add them on the back end there.

Also if you spot a way this can improve, share the info! I’m on Twitter @MikeMyler2, Facebook, Google+, and you can leave messages below the post. Thanks!

PS: If you dig on 5E and evil, check out the Book of Exalted Darkness before it launches (with 2 free PDFs!) on Tuesday!

NANOSYMBIOTES

Nanosymbiotes were first introduced by DRAPA shortly after the tachyon flux fundamentally changed the world in 2074. In the quarter century since the technology of miniaturized and synchronized robotics has evolved exponentially, producing various kinds of suits from a variety of manufacturers available at prices some operators can afford. In order for these nanites to function correctly they must be integrated into a creature’s body and accepted by the immune system—rejection means finding another nanosymbiote.Once accepted into a creature’s body, a nanosymbiote can only be taken off after its host creature dies or while under the effects of an antitech fieldTG (being in such an area causes the host creature to gain the staggered condition, no save) but even then the process is dangerous. The host creature must first make a DC 10 Fortitude save or die. If they live through this initial saving throw, the host creature makes a DC 20 Fortitude save or takes 2d4 Constitution ability damage (or 1d4 Constitution ability damage on a successful saving throw). There is a 50% chance that a nanosymbiote permanently goes inert when removed from its host creature, but a DC 50 Use Technology check made throughout the 8 hour surgery (which requires a cybernetics labTG) eliminates that possibility. The percentile chance that the nanosymbiote does not go inert increases by the result of the Use Technology check (even on a failure). For example, a Use Technology check with a result of 25 would increase the chances of the nanosymbiotes remaining viable to 75%.Nanosymbiotes allow their host creature to use disguise self as a constant hyper spell-like ability and they can be willingly retracted as a swift action. These bonuses have costs, however; a host creature requires six times as much food as normal and 25% more rest (whether that be meditation, sleep, or another form of rest). One week failing to maintain this additional upkeep causes the host creature to become fatigued. One month without this additional upkeep causes the host creature to be exhausted. More than 6 weeks of not properly resting and feeding nanosymbiotes causes the host creature to make a DC 20 Fortitude save. On a failed saving throw the host creature dies and the nanosymbiotes go inert.In addition, different nanosymbiotes grant other abilities to their host creature. The specific type of abilities granted alters the implant’s price, implantation value, install DCs, and Craft DCs as listed below. Some nanosymbiotes may also possibly violate local law—lightsuit nanosymbiotes, for example, are highly illegal in Wallachia—but these occurrences are at the GM’s discretion.

FLUID NANOSYMBIOTE

Slot body; Weight 30 lbs.Price 60,000bt; Install DC 36; Implantation 10Fluid nanosymbiotes grant a +6 size bonus to Dexterity, the ability to move through an area as small as one-eighth the host creature’s space without squeezing or one-sixteenth the host creature’s space when squeezing, a climb speed equal to the host creature’s base speed, and the host creature’s CMD against grapple combat maneuvers is doubled.As a standard action, the host creature can fire a strand of nanosymbiotes to briefly harden to anchor on corners and walls of objects and structures, trailing a thin high-tensile line back to the host creature. As a move action, the host creature can pull towards the anchor, swiftly carrying itself to the anchor point. This ability has a maximum range of 120 feet, and can anchor only to a structure sturdy enough to support the host creature’s weight. If there is not a platform appropriate for the host creature to land on next to the anchor, the host creature must succeed at a Climb check (DC appropriate to climbing the surface the nanosymbiote strand is anchored to) or immediately fall. The strand of nanosymbiotes disappears in 1d4 rounds, just after the host creature uses it to move, or when the next strand of nanosymbiotes is fired, whichever comes first. The strands of nanosymbiotes deal no damage, and creatures other than the wielder are unaffected by them.

The host can only remove it if the venom symbiote leaves willingly or by making a DC 22 Will save while taking at least 10 points of fire and/or sonic damage for a minimum of 3 consecutive rounds.

A creature that already possesses an ability granted by the venom symbiote doubles the benefit of the ability (this does not include attribute bonuses). In addition to the abilities above, the venom symbiote itself has a climb speed of 40 feet, Escape Artist +23, and Survival +11.

NOTES ON VENOM (Pathfinder)

For a full on Venom build, go grab up the Spidey build and hit him with the venom symbiote intelligent item! I thought about doing one but figured it’d be way cooler to just give out the symbiote and let folks surprise a player with their suddenly ultra cool new item…To diehard fans: Venom’s “spider-sense” isn’t as good as Spidey’s so he gets no special thing for it (just the regular Dexterity boost from a fluid nanosymbiote).

Venom Symbiote

Alien symbiote, legendary (requires attunement)

The venom symbiote is an intelligent alien parasite that vastly increases the physical attributes of its host–though it shares its weaknesses as well.While it has no host, the venom symbiote has the following statistics: size of small, AC 14, hp 20, speed 40 ft. (climb 40 ft.), Str 13, Dex 18, Con 14, darkvision 200 ft., Perception +6, resistance to all types of damage except for fire and thunder (which it is vulnerable to), immunity to all conditions, and it can adhere to anything that touches it (an adhered creature is also grappled, escape DC 16, and ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.)If the venom symbiote does not respect its host or hasn’t engaged in bloodlusted violence after 24 hours, the host must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the host takes 1d6 psychic damage. On a failed save the wielder is dominated by the venom symbiote (as if by the dominate monster spell) and the parasite demands that the host taste flesh. The spell effect ends when the parasite’s demand is met.

Magic Properties. The venom symbiote grants the following benefits:

You can increase your size at will (as enlarge).

You can change your appearance at will (as disguise self).

Your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution increase by 4 (to a maximum of 22).

Your speed increases by 10 feet and you can Dash as a bonus action.

Your vertical jump distances increase by up to 10 feet and horizontal jump distances by up to 20 feet.

You may spend hit dice to heal as an action at double the normal cost (for example at the cost of 4 hit dice you regain 2 hit dice worth of hit points).

You gain vulnerability to fire and thunder.

You gain or increase your darkvision range to 200 feet and you gain advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track by scent.

Your unarmed strike damage increases to 1d8 and you gain a +1 magical bonus to attack and damage.

You gain a bite melee attack that deals 1d10 slashing damage.

You gain a web ranged attack that grapples a creature (DC equal to your passive Athletics). A creature already grappled by your webs gains the restrained condition if hit by your web a second time. A creature restrained by your webs gains the incapacitated condition.

Webs. As an action you can fire a strand of webbing to briefly harden to anchor on corners and walls of objects and structures, trailing a thin high-tensile line back to you. As your movement you can pull towards the anchor, swiftly carrying yourself to the anchor point. This feature has a maximum range of 100 feet and can anchor only to a structure sturdy enough to support your weight. If there is not a platform appropriate for you to land on next to the anchor, you must succeed at a Climb/Athletics check (DC appropriate to climbing the surface the webbing is anchored to) or immediately fall. The strand of webbing disappears in 1d4 hours. The strands of webbing deal no damage and normally creatures other than you are unaffected by them.You can also spend an action to create a tether-line or net with webs (AC 15, 20 hit points per 5-ft. of length) to catch or stop objects (maximum weight 5,000 lbs.), or to cast web on a creature within 50 feet except the webbing made has the statistics listed above. At the GM’s discretion, you may create other simple objects with your webbing (such as a parachute or large pillow).

You cannot remove the venom symbiote without it willingly leaving or if you succeed at a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw after 3 continuous rounds of taking 10 or more damage from fire or thunder.

Sentience. The venom symbiote is a sentient chaotic neutral parasite with an Intelligence of 12, a Wisdom of 20, and a Charisma of 20. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 200 feet and gains advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track by scent. The parasite communicates telepathically with its host and can speak, read, and understand Common.

Personality. The venom symbiote is an alien with mysterious objectives, though what these are beyond a basic thirst for violence remain unknown (and are entirely at the GM’s discretion).

NOTES ON VENOM (5e)

I have no notes on this–it’s pretty dope already. There’s also a Spider-Man build for 5e if you want to hit that with the venom symbiote for a full-on villain, although again I think it’s probably a better surprise for a player. 😀